The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-05-19
SHERIDAN on ROSsER.
Little Phil'' Exposes tho Ex.Confcderate..
Sore Shot.

Chicago News Washington Special: Gen.
Sheridan was much amused upon reading
the letter OF Gen. Rosser, recently publish
ed, in which the latter speaks OF a pro-
posed trip to the Shenandoah valley by
Gen. Sheridan, and denounces him for "the
wild. wanton waste and desolation which
his barbarous torch spread through the
valley" during the war. After reading Ros-
ser's phi ilippic Gen. Sheridan said to your
correspondents: 80. i
Rosser has not forgotten the whaling I
gave him in the valley, and l am not sur
prised that he loses temper when he recalls
it. Yes, sir, when l was moving down the
valley / had an important object in view
and did not care to be annoyed. Rosser
was sent after me with a brigade, but l did
not consider it worth while to give him
much attention. Gen. :rorbet's division OF
cavalry formed the rear Of my column,
and l was confident he could take
care Of Rosser. Occasionally Ros-
ments OF our troops and would swoop
down upon them" Finally it was reported
to me that Rosser had captured my pack
train, and this made me mad. Having the
entire army right on the road, Igalloped to
the rear to find Torbet, determined to set
tie Rosser. I found hat the train had
not been captured, although it had en-.
countered Rosser and was coming in con-
siderably scattered and broken up. I
could not find Torbet and this added to
my rage. When I found him he was quiet
ly enjoying himself at a farm house. I called
him out aud informed him l wanted Ros-
ser cleaned out, and that If he could not
do this l would take his division and do
it myself. I concluded Iwould remain and
see the work performed, and so informed
Torbet. The following morning. early,
Torbet went after Rosser, whose brigade
was struck with an i~mpetuosity that
caused them to scatter. We stripped the
enemy OF everything he had captured-all
bis guns, except one which subsequently, fell
into our hands, and all his baggage, includ-
ing Rosser's personal effects. It was a
regular frolic for our boys. Custer got
Rosser's uniform. and o%ccasionlly wore it
for the amusement OF his command. Tor
bet pursued Rosser to New Market, a dis
tance OF about twenty-five miles. He did
not trouble me further. This incident was
doubly hu%miliating to Rosser because he
was hailed as the Savior OF the valley
His men wore smalllaurel twigsi in their hats
as an indication oftheir purpose to clean us
out. Some time after this, when Rosser again
appeared in that vicinity, I understand
the people advised him to substitute
pumpkin vines for laurel, that plant being
well known for running qualities. For
those reasons 1 suppose Gen. Rosser con-
tinues to feel unkind toward me. He says
that I nave not atoned for my acts during
the war. That Is true. It never occurred
to me that I was called upon to do so. !
want to add in this connection that I do
not propose to make a trip to the Shen-
andoah valley the coming summer and had
not thought ofso doing. visited the valley
last summer in company with Senator Cam
erOn OF PENNSYLVANIA and was hOspitablv
received by the people, none OF whom ex-
hibited any of the bitterness of feeling
that is expressed in Gen. Rosser's letter. I
understand Rosser is now living in the
valley, and as he intends to become a cam
didate for congress, his letter was doubt
less written for effect upon his coming po-
itical campaign.